Dear J.T. & Dale: I recently sent out resumes and received three replies, two from human-resources departments and one from a recruiter. When the recruiter called, he demanded to know how much salary I wanted. When I refused to name a number, he ceased all conversation. Both HR departments also wanted me to name my salary before interviewing. Is this a new thing? - Tim

DALE: Not new. It’s as old as negotiation itself. However, in this Time of No Time, no employer wants to meet with someone they can’t afford. On the other hand, they know that virtually every career book is telling people not to name a price. So, when it happens again, try good old candor and say: “Everything I read tells me not to name a price up front. Is it OK if we meet and talk about it?” If they say no, then you might as well name a salary.

J.T.: To keep yourself in the running, you need to give a price range that reflects your walk-away rate (anything lower and you’d pass entirely) and your desired rate plus a 15 percent pad. Follow up on that range by explaining that until you know more about the job, you can’t give a specific number. Stress that you are willing to trade down in salary for an interesting opportunity to grow your skills or for an attractive corporate culture and impressive co-workers. Close by saying that you applied for the job because you believe their company possesses these traits, and thus you are willing to negotiate. This indicates that you are flexible - just the opposite of the impression given by following the typical advice of refusing to name a price.